Neville Blunders, Hermione Wonders
by LookitsHarmony
Summary: Neville realizes that he can no longer hide his feelings for Hermione, but his fear of getting in between her and Ron keeps stopping him. Will Neville find the courage to reveal his true feelings, or will Hermione forever be kept in the dark?
1. Something Wrong Neville?

**Authors Note: If you're wanting a fluffy Neville/Hermione fic turn back now! I did originally intend for this fic to work out that way, but I'm just so keen on HHr that it sort of morphed into a sad fic in the least. Sorry. I will try to write some fluffy Neville/Hermione fics though, so don't give up on me fellow Neville/Hermione shippers!**

**(**_**I'm aching for reviews btw, so any and all critics are welcome**_**.)**

**Neville POV**

Neville sat in the corner of the Gryffindor common room, watching quietly. Hermione was sitting with Ron and Harry again. He didn't mind of course, he was used to it by now. They'd been best friends since first year. And he liked them all, but something about Hermione. He looked away, feeling his heart sink. It didn't matter; her heart would never be his.

He stood and went to the stairs, unaware of how slow he was moving. "Neville?" He looked up. The firelight lit up only half of Hermione's beautiful features, but he could tell she was concerned. "Are you alright Neville?" she asked.

He wanted to answer, but only gave a small nod before climbing the stairs. "What's his problem?" he heard Ron ask.

"Dunno. He's seemed sort of down these last few weeks though hasn't he?" Harry answered.

He didn't hear any more of what was said and changed quickly into his night clothes, crawling into bed. He listened to his heartbeat echo in the silence for some time until eventually fading off to sleep. _This heart of mine, it beats for you Hermione._

Neville stood outside the Potions classroom door, his heart beating heavily. Snape, oh how he wished he didn't have to deal with Snape today. "Alright there mate?" Ron had just slapped his back as he walked into class.

Harry walked by soon after, talking quietly with Hermione. Neville pretended not to notice and stared at the wall. He felt them pass him, but one of them stopped. "How are you Neville?" Hermione's voice rang in his ear.

He looked up sheepishly. "Oh err, alright I guess." He muttered.

She placed a gentle hand on his arm and tried to look him in the eye. "Are you sure? You seem sort of off recently."

He was about to stutter out an answer when a voice erupted from behind them, "Am I interrupting something?"

Neville recognized that voice. It belonged to Snape. He couldn't find the courage to face the Potions Master however and abruptly felt Hermione pull him inside the classroom. "No of course not. Sorry to block the doorway Professor." She said tensely.

"Just take your seats." He replied curtly.

"You've got to pull it together Neville." Hermione whispered before going to her seat. Neville went to his as well, walking ever so slowly. He was in almost a trance-like state. He knew what was wrong, but he wasn't sure how to fix it.

"Well then, now that we've all found our seats." Snape said, tossing a cold look Neville's way, "Perhaps class can begin?"

It was just like any other potions class, except this time Neville wasn't even trying. Snape talked, but his voice sounded somewhat distant. Neville was definitely in a trance, he was trying to build up courage. So when Snape called him out he didn't hear, when the professor approached the boy he didn't notice, not until he heard Hermione speak. Then all became clear.

**Hermione POV**

"Longbottom! Am I boring you?" Snape asked in his ever so cold voice. Hermione frowned. Something was definitely wrong with her friend. This wasn't like him at all. Snape approached and slammed a hand down on the desk. Neville didn't even flinch.

"Please sir, something has been wrong with him. I don't think he's well." Hermione spoke up bravely, and when Snape turned to her she knew what was coming.

"Well maybe you can take the time to single out and baby all your friends Miss Granger, but I have a class to teach and Mr. Longbottom is disrupting it!"

"Don't talk to her like that." Hermione looked over. Neville had turned and was facing Snape. His features were determined, dark even. She'd never seen her friend looking this way before.

**Neville POV**

He heard himself say it, but it sounded like it was coming from someone else's throat. The voice that erupted from his was rough, dark, and angry. Snape turned, and for once Neville didn't feel a spark of fear. "Excuse me Mr. Longbottom?"

"I said don't talk to her like that." He repeated coolly. He was surprising himself with his sudden courage. Even Snape looked taken aback.

"You have no right to instruct me Longbottom. I am the teacher, you are the student. Now if you'd paid attention at the start of class, I never would've had to say a word to Miss Granger. Ten points from Gryffindor for Mr. Longbottom's disruption."

Neville didn't reply and spent the rest of the lesson staring grimly at the professor, who promptly ignored him. When the lesson ended he left the classroom without a word and decided quite suddenly to skip his next class. _Divination is for idiots anyway._ He thought angrily.

He instead wandered up to the library. He removed some books on Herbology and settled into a dimly lit corner to read. Hours passed and he never moved, just took in all he could on the subject that so fascinated him. He barely noticed when someone approached him, and after a moment looked up. It was Hermione. "Can I sit down?" she asked him quietly.

"Oh, of course!" he responded quickly, and he hesitated. His goofy voice had returned to him. He could see that she'd noticed as well.

She sat across from him; that worried frown on her face. "Neville I think something's wrong with you. Do you know what it is at all?"

He smiled slightly and shrugged. "I dunno. I'm really not sure anything is wrong."

Her frown deepened and she shook her head. "No, I know you Neville. You're not yourself. Perhaps you should see Madam Pomfrey or something…."

He almost laughed out loud. "No, I'm not sick Hermione."

She seemed utterly confused. "So then what is it? It must be something!"

He stood and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "If you have to ask, then stop worrying. If you don't know now I don't think you'll ever know." And he walked away, leaving her sitting there. If his feelings for her weren't apparent by now, then he realized that they would probably never be.


	2. Twists, Turns and Revelations

**Neville POV**

Neville sighed. All the boldness and awesome mystique he'd had the day before had left him. He was just regular Neville now.He was sitting in the common room, hiding in a corner. He'd yet to see Hermione so far today, but he resolved that if he did he'd run as fast as he could. He was berating himself for having said something to her at all. It was obvious that she and Ron had feelings for one another, and who was he to get in between that?

All of a sudden the portrait hole opened and he looked up. Hermione entered, followed closely by Ron and Harry. _As always._ He thought as he watched them take their seats on the other side of the room.

He stood and hurried towards the portrait hole, exiting just as he heard Hermione beginning to say his name. He continued walking at a brisk pace, not even stopping long enough for Malfoy to work in a lame but harsh joke on him. He stopped outside the main doors, breathing in the cool air. He walked over to a bench and sat, feeling the heat in his face slowly fading.

His eyes wandered lazily over the land, not really seeing at all. He was terrified Hermione had followed him and hoped he'd lost her. Finally he looked back and saw her leaning against the wall nearby. He realized that what he thought was a fast pace must've been quite slow to a fit girl like her. "Why'd you run off?" she asked quietly, stepping over to him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I-I didn't know you were talking to me." He lied. He could tell she didn't believe a word of it.

"Right. I'm sure. Just like you didn't know it was me you were talking to in the library last night, hmm?"

He looked away. "I'm sorry." He said quietly.

"What's going on Neville?" she asked, sitting next to him. The feeling of her so close was comforting to him, and he resisted the urge to grab her and never let her go.

"It's nothing Hermione. Nothing. I'm just being foolish."

He went to stand but she grabbed his arm. "Neville, if it's what I think it is…."

He laughed. "I'm sorry Hermione. You've got enough to deal with right now. I think we should, perhaps just drop it?" He gave her an apologetic look and stood up. "Things are already complicated enough for you Hermione. Don't let me make matters worse." He walked inside without a look back.

**Hermione POV**

Hermione wasn't content to sit there and try to figure things out. She stood up as fast as she could without falling over and hurried after Neville. He was moving quite slowly; perhaps he hadn't expected her to follow. _Good_, Hermione thought. _Then he won't expect this either._

She grabbed his arm and jerked him sideways into a classroom, locking the door behind her. Luckily the room was completely deserted. "Hermione! What are you doing?" Neville asked. He was completely shocked as indicated by his face and voice. But she was dead-set, determined. She almost smiled. Since when wasn't she?

"You're not going anywhere until you explain to me just what you mean Neville! How would you make things worse, how are you being foolish?"

He seemed upset, and she could tell he'd never intended on revealing whatever this was to her. "It's nothing like I said!" He was angry, something she'd rarely seen in him these last six years.

But still her stubbornness kept her hovering in front of the door, which she could tell Neville was eager to get to. "If it were really nothing I don't think you'd be acting this way." She said quietly.

He looked absolutely furious, but she wasn't frightened. He'd always held a gentle demeanor, and she knew he would never harm her. He threw up his arms and sighed. "Stubborn as always! One of the many qualities I've always admired." He shook his head and sank down into one of the chairs. "If you're really going to make me say it, fine then. I like you Hermione, a lot. I have since first year. But I've seen the way Ron acts around you, the way he looks at you. And the way you look at him! There's a little more than friendship going on there, that's for sure."

Hermione didn't respond. She was definitely awestruck. Neville liked her? But, he'd never made it seem that way. Not until now anyway. Her mind flashed back to the many years, and though he'd given her questionable looks at times that was the extent of it.

Taken off guard she sat as well, leaving the door completely unguarded. But much to her surprise he didn't rush toward it. He seemed to be waiting for an answer. But what could she say? He was spot on about her and Ron, there was something there alright.

But then she began to question her true feelings for Neville. Had she always considered him just a friend? She'd felt things at time, twinges and all. But that was a few years ago and things like that had faded. If anything her feelings for Ron had indeed grown, and her feelings for Harry were immense, but she was thankful that no one had seemed to notice that.

"Well? Do you have anything to say at all?"

**Neville POV**

She had been silent for almost ten minutes. She appeared confused by his last question, as if she had so much to say but at the same time didn't want to. "Oh Neville, I don't know…." She began.

He didn't like the sound of that, and at that moment he knew he should've remained silent. He stood, his frustration rising to a boil. "This is why I didn't want to say anything! If you'd only listened Hermione, you would've realized that I was just trying to protect you!"

She looked distraught and though some part of him wanted to comfort her, another part of him was furious with the fact that she simply couldn't let things go. "I'm sorry Neville." She said quietly. Those words had sealed his fate. Of course, how could she find it in her heart to love an oaf like him? He didn't bother hiding his hurt feelings and started towards the door. But quite suddenly and surprisingly she stood, intercepting him. "Don't you want to know why?"

Truthfully he didn't, he could care less. If she didn't feel the same way, that was the end of the matter to him. But for some reason he nodded. Why had he done that?

"It's because, well it actually has nothing to do with Ron really."

"You can't say there's nothing there." He said bitterly.

She nodded. "Oh there is, but there's also something between me and, and Harry."

Neville didn't respond at first. Had he heard her right? Harry? As in Harry Potter? Finally he looked at her and all at once a calm acceptance washed over him. "Now that definitely makes more sense."

She frowned as she looked at him. "It does?"

He grinned. "Can't say I haven't wondered. You both got so hot and bothered Fourth year when that Skeeter woman said you two were in a relationship, it seemed a little off to me. It was almost as if she'd pointed out a truth and you were both outraged about it. The whole school wondered, but of course Skeeter's reputation was what really quashed the rumor. Everyone knew she was a lying git."

A soft smile touched Hermione's lips and she looked at him. "Promise you won't say anything?" He nodded, genuine in his promise. She turned to leave, but suddenly turned back and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks Neville. You really helped me a lot today."

He blushed a little and shrugged. "You helped me too."

She appeared as though she wanted to ask him how, but must have decided against it as she turned away. She swiftly unlocked the door, slipping through it stealthily. He placed a hand on his cheek and sighed. He knew he'd always have feelings for her, but he realized that she and Harry were destined for one another. And he was destined for someone else.

He allowed the previous moment to wash over him once more before opening the door wide and stepping out into the bustling halls of Hogwarts. As he glanced around he saw her standing with Harry and Ron, whispering quietly. But then he turned to face the Great Hall with a newfound confidence. Oh yes, his true soul mate was out there somewhere, and he couldn't wait to meet her.

**Like I said; kind of sad. I REALLY did intend for this to be a completely romantic NHr fic. But things took a turn and well, they ended here. I'm definitely a bigger fan of HHr; I hope I don't get too much hate for that lol. So anyway thank you for reading and I'd much appreciate it if you took the time to give me a little review. Have a pleasant day. - LookitsHarmony**

**ALSO DON'T WANNA FORGET, I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS! ALL BELONG TO THE BRILLIANT J.K. ROWLING!**


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